People in the news

An article by Frank Wicks, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was featured in a recent issue of “Mechanical Engineering,” a publication of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. “Hubbert’s Peak and Mitchell’s Boom” connects oil geologist King Hubbert and his Peak Oil graph with the game-changing new techniques pioneered by the late George Mitchell, a Texas billionaire known as the “Father of Hydrofracking.” The article traces the history leading to the new techniques, and notes the good, the bad and the uncertainties.

Daniel Mosquera, associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies, attended the Society for Cinema and Media Studies conference in Seattle, where he delivered a paper. “Favelado/Fabulado: Participatory Indexicality and Trash Aesthetics in Contemporary Brazil” was part of a panel dealing with uses and subversions of documentary immediacy in recent autoethnographic visual media.

Research by Scott Kirkton, associate professor of biology, was featured on WAMC’s “Academic Minute.” He explained his work on the biochemistry that triggers a grasshopper’s molting process. The radio piece was also featured on Inside Higher Ed. Listen to it here.

Jordan Smith, the Edward E. Hale, Jr. Professor of English, recently released “Clare’s Empire,” a sequence of poems on the life and work of British poet John Clare. The work is available as an e-book and online (Kindle, iTunes) from The Hydroelectric Press, a digital publishing company founded by Michael Allen Potter ‘94. Read more about Smith’s work here.

Jillmarie Murphy, assistant professor of English, presented a paper, “Anti-Landscapes and Urban Attachments in Charles Brockden Brown's Arthur Mervyn; or, Memoirs of the Year 1793," as part of the "Urban Psychologies" panel at the 19th Century Studies Association Conference in Chicago in mid-March.

Hilary Zelson ‘11 was selected as lead artist for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts Community Arts Initiative Artist Project. This project involves teaching young children and is a year-long collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts and 10 community organizations in Boston.

Deidre Hill Butler, associate professor of sociology and director of the Africana Studies program, participated on a “Faculty Transitions: Joining, Tenure, Promotion, Administration and Committee Work" panel at the NY6 Faculty of Color in Liberal Arts Conference at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Butler is also facilitating an adult reading group, "Conversations on Giving, Serving and Learning," at the Schenectady Public Library main branch Wednesday evenings in April. This program is sponsored by a grant from the New York State Council on the Humanities.

Edward Summers, chief of staff, attended the American Council on Education’s 96th annual meeting in San Diego. The discussion focused on issues critical issues in higher education. Sessions highlighted emerging technologies and data, and how they are transforming campus operations, teaching and research.